Curtain stretcher



Ap -1, 1941. v w. w. BLOCK CURTAIN swnmcaa Filed July 29, 1959' Patented Apr. 1, 1.941

A UNiTED STATES PATENT oFFiczr.

2,236,745 CURTAIN STRETCHER Walter W. Block, Kenosha, Wis.

' Application July 29, 1939, Serial No. 287,359

(Cl. l15-2"l) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to curtain stretchers and more particularly to pin plates or leveling bridges in that type yoi ycurtain stretchers wherein at least one corner is formed by a rail and post one'of which overlies the other for the purpose of providing means to which the curtain may be secured at such corner to eliminate a gap due to the overlying relation of the post and rail.

Practically all curtain stretchers are made to be adjustable for use with different sized curtains and such adjustable stretchers gen-erally have a rail overlying a posit yand in some instances more than one such :corner is utilized. Patent No. 1,929,629 discloses a leveling bridge or an auxiliary pin plate to bridge such a corner whereby the cur-tain may be amply secured at the corner thereof. My invention constitutes an improvement on such pin plate lor leveling bridge and the principal object is to movably secure the Ipin plate or leveling bridge to one or the other of the rail or bridge so-that it remains relatively in position on the rail or post to facilitate operative use thereof.

Another object is to ,provide such a pin plate or leveling bridge with means securing the same to the rail in such a manner that when setting up or adjusting the stretcher the pin plate or leveling bridge will be easily operable to secure the rail and post together.

A further object is to provide a new and novel means for securing a leveling bridge to the rail and post of a curtain stretcher and to secure the rail and post together in a novel, simple and ecient manner.

Referring to the drawing wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of my invention installed on the ycorner of a curtain stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is .a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 on Fig. 1; and

Eig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing the reverse side.

A post 5, Fig. 1, underlies a rail 6, which post and rail are arranged in substantial right angles to each other, forming a corner of the curtain stretcher. The post is recessed at I vand the rail .at 8 and pins or small nai-ls 9 are provided in the recess with the `points thereof extending on the top lof the curtain-stretcher to enable a curtain to be secured thereto. It will be apparent thatl the row of nails on the rail is arranged in a horizontal plane above the row of nails on the post and consequently a pin plate or leveling bridge is necessary to bridge the gap between these planes in order to provide means for securing a curtain at the corner thereof when being stretched. The pin plate I0 is provided With a depressed portion I-I having nails I`2 therein. The portion of the pin plate I0 adjacent to and including the portion II is sloped or iinclined to bridge the gap referred to. plate I0 also has a clamping portion I3 at the other end of the plate IIJ from the inclined portion III which is bent over at M to engage the rail 6. A C-olam-p |15 is provided on the post 5 and partially surrounds or encloses 'the post. The clamp also is provi-ded with a square opening I6 in which a bolt Il having a complementary shaped shank to engage `the opening I6 is inserted. The bol-t has .a head I-8 thereon to engage the inside of the C-clamp. The bolt entends through an opening in the plate I0 and is provided with a wing nut I9. The end of the plate I0 having the portion II Ithereon engages the top surface of the post 5 so that application of the wing nut I9 on the bolt securely clamps the pin plate, the rail and the post together in operative relation.

fThe post is provided with a slot 20 extending longitudinally thereof from end to end and the plate I0 has an integral traveler 2I thereon ad-A jacent the en-d of the plate having the portion I I. The traveler passes downwardly from the plate along the side of the post and underneath the post to the slot Where it is provided with a bent end 22 that rides i-n the slot.

Therefore, when the wing nut I9 `is loosened either for adjustment of the post or rail or for dismantling the stretcher, the plate I0 remains in its relative posi-tion on the post and cannot swing at an angle tothe position shown in Fig. 1 about the bolt I1, and consequently the plate is always in position to readily receive the rail thereunder for clamping engagement. rllhe advantages of such a. structure for the leveling bridge will be apparent when it is realized that a curtain stretcher is at best a relatively diflicult device to set .up and requires the full -use of both hands of the person setting it up. Furthermore, numerous pins or nails are provided and the operaitor must exercise reasonable care to prevent injury. Consequently, the less attention required by the leveling bridge and clamp the more attention may be paid to 'avoidance of injury and setting up the parts of the stretcher.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and The,

2 modication and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a curtain stretcher having a post and rail .arranged in overlying relation and at an angle to each other, a leveling bridge arranged on said post at the intersection of said rail and post, means on said bridge for clamping said rail and post together, said post having a slot therein, and. means on said bridge engageable in said slot for holding said bridge in clamping position on said post.

2. In a curtain stretcher having a post and rail arranged in overlying relation and at an angle to each other, a leveling bridge arranged on said post at the intersection of said rail and post, a C-clamp engageable with said rail and having a bolt secured thereto and extending through an opening in said bridge, adjustable means on said bolt for clamping said bridge, said rail ,and said post together, said post having a slot therein, and means on said bridge engageable in said slot for holding said bridge in clamping position on said post.

3. In a curtain stretcher having a post vand rail arranged in overlying relation and at an angle to each other, a leveling bridge arranged on said post at the intersection of said rail and post, Ine-ans on said bridge for clai'nping said rail and post together, said post having a slot arranged froin end to end thereof, and a traveler on said bridge arranged to travel in said slot for holding said bridge in position for clamping said rail and said post together.

4. In a curtain stretcher having a post and rail arranged in overlying relation and at an angle to each other, a leveling bridge arranged on said post at the intersection of said rail and post, a C-clamp engageable with said rail and having a bolt secured thereto and extending through an opening in said bridge, adjustable means on said bolt for clamping said bridge, said rail and said post together, said post having a slot arranged from end to end thereof, and a traveler on said bridge arranged to travel in said slot for holding said bridge in position for clamping said rail and said posttogether.

5. In a curtain stretcher comprising .a post and rail, said rail overlying said post, securing means on the faces of said rail and said post for securing a curtain thereto, a leveling bridge at the intersection of said rail and post having .a part thereon arranged at an incline to said surfaces and a portion on said part having securing means therein for securing the corner of said curtain thereto, a O-clamp engageable with said post and having adjustable means thereon engageable With said bridge for securing said bridge, said post and said rail together, said post having a slot running longitudinally thereof in the surface opposite the face, and .a traveler on said bridge extending alongside of said post and having a bent end for riding in said slot.

WALTER W. BLOCK. 

